jz's 60 Gallon

[thewackyreefer]

I think your tank is awesome! The rocks for the sandbed are a great idea. Where they magnetic shelves that you decided to put in the sand bed or made to place in the sand bed?

Thanks! They were actually created for the sand bed. Once I saw the main center pillar I figured it would be best to have a couple pieces to put some acans, favias and chalices on rather than have a super big open sandbed. The 2 magnetic shelves were an after thought however.

I like those shelves a lot, I'm on the waiting list to make something to cover my overflows as well. Well played on the placement of those, looks great.

Awesome, Scott does great work and is a pleasure to work with. I can't wait for the day when I've got a 200+ for him to work with, I can't even imagine what he could do with that!

very nice the two lower rocks are very nice and those mag shelves add a unique touch
one possibility would be to put like two or three dif colored caps on one of those shelves so the could grow together - could be cool
this tank has some real potential

I was considering doing that off to one of the sides of the piece with the setosa on it. Still not sure what I'm going to do with the other piece yet, giving the tank a little time since the few SPS aren't looking too great after the move.

i see you change your mind very often lol. i just went through your thread and i like were your tank is now. you have a nice coral collection. why did you change the led fixtures. feel free to pm me

Yes, I certainly too, it drives my girlfriend INSANE too! She's always yelling at me to leave it alone and just let it grow out and I think it's about that time. I will of course continue to stock the tank and I may purchase another magnetic shelf to hide the MP40 but everything that's in there now is going to stay where it's at for the most part, still adjusting the placement of a few things under the new lights.

The reason I went with the AI fixtures is because the previous LED's I had were simply too powerful for what I was stocking. I couldn't really raise up the lights higher than they were at the time, and my acans just weren't doing very well under them because the lights were so intense. They are great fixtures but they just don't offer the control the AI's do.

LOL don't feel like the lone ranger, nobody comments on my tank thread ether. I think it just looks too intimidating to members when they see a tank thread with more than 3 pages. Seems like any more than 3 and they don't bother clicking on it...

And dude, you're holding out on me....... I want more pic's of something in this pic, guess what it is!!!!!

Ha, yeah I guess the threads can be a little intimidating that's why I'm surprised more people don't use / view the blogs.

I'll see if I can get some top-down shots for ya, I think I found a pretty great spot for it.

 

[Bolanos]

I really like the current scape. Maybe add some more sps on top and then just let everything grow, and bam!

 

[thewackyreefer]

I really like the current scape. Maybe add some more sps on top and then just let everything grow, and bam!

Thanks, that's the plan! Just giving the tank a little bit longer since I just moved it.

I've also been encountering issues with cloudy water every 3-4 days and lasting around 2 days every time. It doesn't seem like feeding is the issue because I haven't fed much besides flakes in the past couple weeks. All my params look good and I just changed my carbon about a week ago now. Maybe it's a bacterial bloom or somethin?

 

[Electrobes]

I really like the addition of the shelves. It's a neat idea and I think it makes the tank look more "real". Plus now you have more places to put corals! ;) I love pajama cardinals.. wish my dang fish weren't so aggressive.

 

[WhoDey]

Very original, I like it.

 

[thewackyreefer]

Gracias! I really like the cardinal as well. It's kinda strange, my clown used to always chase him around until I got these new pieces. Now the clown just swims around this tiny tiny spot right in the middle of the center pillar. Pretty strange...

 

[CJO]

Nice looking tank. Those shelves are awesome. Sometimes a change in the scape will get the fish to change their territories.

CJ

 

[1fishkeeper]

I just got done looking at your build. It really turned out really good looking.

 

[thewackyreefer]

Oooh I picked up some SEXXXY corals last night in the sale!

Here's what i've got comin....
PPE Chalice
FT Favia - brightest pink favia i've ever seen!
Efflo - pretty big!
SC Bali Rainbow Acan - this one is freakin hot!

 

[Oceanslayer18]

I love the alternative rocks. Maybe a good idea for my new 125g. everything is sweet. How much were your leds?

 

[thewackyreefer]

I love the alternative rocks. Maybe a good idea for my new 125g. everything is sweet. How much were your leds?

Thanks, Scott does do great work!

The LED's were expensive (to say the least) compared to a lot you're seeing around, I think they ran over $1200 for the two fixtures, rack and controller...

 

[swannyson7]

The tank looks great! Now you just need to get a couple of those magnetic shelves for concealing the vortechs like Scott put on the Macna tank. I want to pick up a couple of those!

 

[fsu1dolfan]

JZ - Just got through checking out your pics and that shelf thing is amazing looking in your tank...nice corals too!! Keep up the good work!

 

[btkrausen]

JZ - Just got through checking out your pics and that shelf thing is amazing looking in your tank...nice corals too!! Keep up the good work!

Yeah, those Alternative Reef pillars look great. I'm currently on the waiting list to build something to hide my overflows in the new tank. :)

 

[Oceanslayer18]

Thanks, Scott does do great work!

The LED's were expensive (to say the least) compared to a lot you're seeing around, I think they ran over $1200 for the two fixtures, rack and controller...

How do I get in contact with this guy? LoL and pricing?

 

[thewackyreefer]

How do I get in contact with this guy? LoL and pricing?

They're the AI Blue Sol LED's.

Reach out to Bill at Reef LED Lights, he's a sponsor on here, I bought from him. Aquarium Lighting | LED Aquarium Lighting Reef Aquarium Lighting Aquarium Lighting | LED Aquarium Lighting

 

[kingfisherfleshy]

It doesnt look like there is much room for the SPS's to grow...lots of shelves, but most of them will be shaded wont they?

Its definitely some crazy pieces of rock though. It will be much cooler once they get some growth on them, and the corals grow out.

The whole time looking through this thread I am thinking to myself: "Stop tearin down your tank man and let this stuff grow!"

Haha it should be good once you can keep your hands out of it for awhile...cant wait to see pictures once everything has started to grow in off the plugs etc.

 

[thewackyreefer]

It doesnt look like there is much room for the SPS's to grow...lots of shelves, but most of them will be shaded wont they?

Its definitely some crazy pieces of rock though. It will be much cooler once they get some growth on them, and the corals grow out.

The whole time looking through this thread I am thinking to myself: "Stop tearin down your tank man and let this stuff grow!"

Haha it should be good once you can keep your hands out of it for awhile...cant wait to see pictures once everything has started to grow in off the plugs etc.

Yeah, there are a lot of shaded areas. I've been sitting here for quite a while thinking the same thing. I have plenty of horizontal space out from the shelves but not much vertical space for them to grow upward. I suppose I'll just have to place everything very carefully. I've also considered taking off the top portion of the center pillar and putting a piece of marco rock on top to give it more surface up there but then the overflow would be exposed again.

I definitely have an issue keeping my hands out and not changing everything constantly. I've just been so indecisive on which direction I want to take the tank. Initially, I thought I'd go primarily acans and LPS but I've also taken a liking to SPS lately. Eventually I'd like to end up with an SPS dominated main display and a shallow tank for my acans to allow for better top-down viewing. Still a couple months away from adding that tank although I do now have space in the closet behind the tank where my sump is housed. See, indecisive. :wink:

 

[swannyson7]

To resolve the shaded areas, you might be able to get away with a couple Par38s with tight optics angled down into the tank. That would alleviate the shadows and give you enough par to grow some corals

 

[gooch Verified Sponsor]

Yeah, there are a lot of shaded areas. I've been sitting here for quite a while thinking the same thing. I have plenty of horizontal space out from the shelves but not much vertical space for them to grow upward. I suppose I'll just have to place everything very carefully. I've also considered taking off the top portion of the center pillar and putting a piece of marco rock on top to give it more surface up there but then the overflow would be exposed again.

I definitely have an issue keeping my hands out and not changing everything constantly. I've just been so indecisive on which direction I want to take the tank. Initially, I thought I'd go primarily acans and LPS but I've also taken a liking to SPS lately. Eventually I'd like to end up with an SPS dominated main display and a shallow tank for my acans to allow for better top-down viewing. Still a couple months away from adding that tank although I do now have space in the closet behind the tank where my sump is housed. See, indecisive. :wink:

That was also one of the things I struggled with while making it. I had to stay within the dimensions you wanted to keep your sand bed open yet still hide the overflow. It was very challenging. I do believe if you start going with sticks the best way to go about it is to go with tabling acro's near the bottom and branching acros at the top. By doing this the coral will provide the dimension and depth. Or at least it will help. I can also build you some flat pieces that you could probably fit into place to give you bigger shelves. Personally I would let the coral do the work. Turn the pillar into an sps dominated area and use the sand and the smaller pieces and magnetics for your encrusting type corals. Those SPS corals will find a way to grow. It is one of the flaws I see with using LED's over Halides. Way more shaded areas. At least IMO. If I were to make that piece again I would try to sway you to have less shelves and have it project farther into the tank. I just did that with this pillar and I really love the way it looks.